


Duress

by ofporcelain



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU: Merle Lives, Age Difference, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Smut, F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-06 13:35:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18389462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofporcelain/pseuds/ofporcelain
Summary: You, the eldest Grimes child, were separated from your group during the attack at the farm. After eight months of travelling alongside Andrea and Michonne, a familiar face makes it’s way back into your life. There is a darkness lurking around every corner; however, safety is found in the arms of brusque and vulgar male.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a request I received for a Merle x reader where the reader is Rick’s daughter (over 18). Of course this turned into a series bc ya’ll know how I am!

_A grunt of pain slid past your lips as you darted past the treeline, breath pulling in heavy breaths as you forced yourself to keep running. The walkers were everywhere. They had taken the farm and you had been separated from your family in the process. Daryl had tried to stop you, but the moment you had noticed the dead surrounding your mother you had rushed to them._

_You weren’t even supposed to be out of the house. You had heard the screams of Jimmy and darted out; for Beth, you had told yourself. Daryl had done his best to get your to safety, and you had almost climbed onto his motorcycle, but again you had risked your own life when you saw Patricia get grabbed by a walker. Fearing for your mothers safety you rushed forward, however, she hadn’t seen you and by the time you had gotten to the farmhouse she was already driving away with T-Dog._

_Then there was your father, your brother, and Hershel. They had been so close, yet they were able to hear your shouts of desperation as you rushed around the house. Again you were missed and you watched their taillights vanish with a broken sob._

_A shrill yell tore from your throat as a hand grasped your wrist, however, before you were able to dig your blade into the head of the walker, a familiar voice reached your ears. “Y/N, wait!”_

_You relaxed instantly, turning in Andrea’s grasp as you pulled her into a tight hug. “We need to go, right now!”_

With narrowed eyes you watched as Michonne moved closer to the smoking helicopter, arm stretched back to touch the hilt of her sword. You reached down to rub a hand across Andrea’s back, doing your best to comfort her. You had been searching for medicine the last few days, though it seemed each search left you empty handed. 

The once familiar hum of a motor reached your ears and you perked up as Michonne rushed back over to you both. “Someone’s coming.” She rushed out, crouching down next to you. 

“Any survivors?” Andrea whispered.

Michonne glanced past the bushes. “Two dead, not sure about the other.”

You watched as the men circled the helicopter, doing your best to steady your breathing as they shuffled around the wreckage. As Andrea began coughing you continued to rub her back, praying that you wouldn’t be heard. A shaky breath slid past your lips as a walker shuffled past you, though you went unnoticed as it continued into the clearing. Your eyes grew wide as one of the men brought his blade down, stabbing one of the men in the head. 

“He wasn’t bit.” You whispered. “We can’t let them see us.”

When the two walkers that had been accompanying you began to shuffle, drawing the attention of the strangers, Michonne was quick to slide his sword into their brains. A sigh of relief slid past your lips as the group turned their attention away from your hiding place, one calling for the others to leave.

You relaxed your grip on the machete at your waist, allowing your head to droop as they began to leave. However, a snap of twigs behind you caused you all to tense, Michonne lifting her katana to attack.

“Uh-uh-uh, easy does it, girl. Mine’s a whole lot bigger than yours. Now put down your weapons.” Your heart sank at the voice, eyes shutting for a moment before you slowly slid the machete from your belt and placed it on the ground. “That’s it, nice and easy and lemme see your hands. That’s it, now spin around. That’s it, nice little twirl around.”

You turned slowly, looking up at the man through your lashes, only for your mouth to part in shock.

“Oh holy shit.” Merle began, gaze locking with yours. “Sugar, you’ve grown up.” 

Your gaze pulled past him at the oncoming walker and as if sensing it’s presence the older male jabbed his hand up, impaling it with the blade that was latched the gauntlet strapped to his wrist. You were quick to remember how he had been left on a roof in Atlanta by your father, having cut his own hand off in order to escape the cuffs. 

He rose to his feet, arms slightly outstretched as he spoke. “Now, how’s about a big hug for your old pal Merle?”

Before you were able to respond Andrea gave out beside you, her body crashing onto yours and knocking you onto your bottom as grasped her face in your hands. Michonne was by you in an instant, pushing your friend’s hair back to examine her face. 

“No, no, no, no, no!” You rushed out, twisting your head to look up at Merle. “Help us, please! She’s sick!”

His brow furrowed as he stared down out you, lips turning into a sneer, though it quickly shifted as he glanced back at the others. A loud whistle slid past his lips, the men rushing forward and with a single nod in your direction they began grabbing at you. It wasn’t until they ripped Andrea from your grasp that you reacted.

“Don’t you touch her!” You hissed, fist drawing back and pushing forward with all your might, knuckles connecting with the mans nose. A sharp crack rang out between you, the man rolling onto his heels with a groan.

“Fucking bitch broke my nose!” The man growled, earning a chuckle from Merle who holstered his gun. 

When the man jumped to grab you again he lifted his foot, kicking him in the thigh, causing him to tumble over. “Get the other two.” He ordered before turning his attention back to you. Using his good hand he grasped your arm, hauling you to your feet. “You go tryin’ break my nose I’ll let him have ya.” 

You didn’t fight this time, your gaze trained on Andrea and Michonne as he pulled you into his chest. There was a quick shuffle before you were turned to face him, frowning as you noticed the smug smile pulling at his lips, and then there was a piece of material blocking your view. You jaw clenched as you lost your ability to see and a firm grasp on your arm lead you through the woods. 

Within a few short moments you were pushed into the side of a vehicle, groaning as the click of a door reached your ears. “That won’t be necessary, Brownie.” Merle’s voice rang out. “She can sit right here.”

Your brow pulled in confusion, however, it was only a moment longer before you felt yourself being pulled away and pushed inside an opened vehicle, only you weren’t met with the soft cushioning of the seat. Instead you were shoved into a lap, an arm snaking around your waist to hold you in place. You stiffened in the hold, your fingertips digging into your thigh to keep from lashing out at the person. 

“Relax, Sugar, it’s gonna be a long ride.” Merle whispered, his hot breath fanning across your neck. 

Eventually you did as he said, allowing the pain and exhaustion to consume you as you leaned back into his chest. His grip stayed on your waist, only tightening when the vehicle hit a rather rough bump. Your eyes fluttered shut behind the piece of cloth, a soft groan sliding from your lips as you allowed your head to lull back, resting on a broad shoulder. 

“Milton, have Steven’s prep the infirmary?” A voice rolled out, pulling your attention back to the others.

“How many?” A voice cracked over the radio.

“Four. One with multiple fractures and severe burns, two in and out of consciousness, probably shock and dehydration.”

“And the third?”

“She’s fine.”

“A female?”

“Three. Found them hiding in the woods.” Whatever else the man had to say began to fade and once again you found yourself fading into the darkness.

When you had finally came to you found yourself laid on a hospital bed, a groan sliding past your lips as you pushed yourself into a sitting position. Michonne was by your side in an instant, placing a hand on your back to steady you. A woman dressed in scrubs was quick to begin examining you, causing you to share a look with both of your friends. You allowed them to ask the questions, adverting your gaze from the light in order to soothe your pounding headache.

It wasn’t until the door clicked open that you lifted your eyes, locking them on Merle as he dismissed the doctor. “Bet you was wondering if I was real. Probably hoping I wasn’t. Well, here I am. I guess this whole world gets a little smaller toward the end, huh? Ain’t so many left of us to share the air, right?”

A shiver ran down your spine, a shaky breath sliding past your lips as you shifted in the bed. It seemed you had underestimated just how exhausted you had been during your travels; your entire body ached, cold sweat rolling over your skin as you fought to keep your eyes open.

“You know when they found me I was near bled out, starving. Thinking to myself a bullet might make a good last meal. Take myself a nice long nap after, wait for Daryl on the other side. You seen my brother?”

“Not for a long time. He went back for you, him and Rick, but you were gone.” Andrea replied softly. 

“Well, not all of me.” Merle let out a bitter chuckle, reaching up to remove the gauntlet from his hand, revealing his stump. “Yeah, Rick, he’s that prick that cuffed me to the rooftop.”

“Shut up.” You growled, though it came out much less menacing than you had intended. 

“What’d you say, Sugar?” He asked, shifting to press his chest against the back of the chair.

“He’s her father.” Andrea blurted out, pulling the man’s attention away from you. “Rick’s her dad.”

“Oh shit,” he laughed. “And he came back to your mama screwing his partner?”

“Shut up.” You hissed again, pushing yourself from the bed. The men who had entered the room with him stepped forward, but he lifted his hand to halt them. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really now?” He mused, waving a hand in your direction. “Why don’t ya explain it to me then, Sugar?”

You stepped closer to him, mouth parting to speak, however heat flushed through your body as you rocked on your heels. Your vision began to tunnel, vaguely aware of the chair clattering to the floor as your legs gave out beneath you and you succumbed to the darkness. 

A ring was echoing in your ears as you pored all your energy into forcing your eyes to open. Your vision was blurred as you did your best to take in your surroundings. It was the same room from the previous night. Your head lulled to the side, gaze flickering down to the IV that was lodged in your arms. With more effort than you cared to admit you lifted your other hand, dropping it to grasp the tube and pull it from your arm with a hiss. 

“Easy now, Sugar.” A voice drawled out, pulling your attention to the now opened door. 

You said nothing as Merle entered the room, grasping the back of a chair and placing it next to where you were laid. He stared at you for a long while, eyes narrowing as he shifted his gaze over your features. It wasn’t until your lips flipped into a sneer that he began to laugh.

“What?” You snapped, doing your best to suppress a fit of coughs.

He began shaking his head, a smirk pulling at his lips. “You’re gonna be a handful, aren’t ya, Darlin’?”

“I have a name.” You countered. “Where’s Andrea and Michonne?”

“Well, Darlin’, you were quieter than a mouse back in Atlanta, so I can’t seem to remember it.”

You couldn’t be sure if he was simply trying to wind you up or if he had genuinely forgot, but you answered nonetheless. “It’s Y/N and you didn’t answer my question.”

“Blondie and the Nubian Queen are runnin’ the town.” He shrugged, shifting forward to rest his elbows on the bed, causing you to flinch when he brushed against your bare arm. “I saved your ass and you’re still scared a me?”

“You held a gun on me.” 

“I also grabbed you before you could bust your head open on the damn floor.” Despite the anger in his tone the smirk didn’t falter from his lips. “You should be thankin’ me.”

“Thank you.” You mumbled, dropping your gaze to his good hand. His fingers twitched slightly, balling into a fist before he pushing himself onto his feet. 

“Come on, Sugar, I’ll take you too ‘em.” 

You pushed up from the bed immediately, ignoring the pain that shot up your spine as you rose to your feet. He didn’t bother waiting as he lead you out of the room, your eyes wide in awe as you took on the building as you followed behind him. However, it wasn’t until he lead you outside that you came to a stop. 

It was as if the apocalypse had left the town untouched; the street bustling with people and laughter. You stared out at them with parted lips, head shaking in disbelief as some glanced in your direction. A low chuckle pulled your attention back to Merle who was staring at you with endless amusement.

“Close your mouth, Darlin’, you’ll catch flies.” 

“What is this place?” You asked suddenly, shifting your gaze back towards the people. “This is unbelievable.”

“Woodbury is what they call it.” He groaned slightly, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Before you were given a chance to respond you caught a familiar gaze, a wide smile forming on your lips as you rushed forward. Andrea laughed softly as you embraced her and despite her solemn expression Michonne reached out to squeeze your arm.

“I’m fine.” You spoke quickly, sensing the question from them both. “Are you okay? Are we safe here?”

“I think we are.” Andrea said softly, though you caught the incredulous look Michonne threw at you. You couldn’t blame her, the town seemed to good to be true. That thought only grew as the blonde woman began to explain their interaction with the Governor and all the woman had described as they were shown around the town. 

“They won’t give us back our weapons?” Your brow furrowed. “I don’t like that.” 

“Neither do I.” Michonne spoke lowly. 

Andrea sighed. “I think this could be good for us. We can talk more about it later, you need to go take a shower.”

You wanted desperately to argue, but the thought of warm water blurred your thoughts as you allowed her to lead you to the room you had been given. There had been a clean set of clothes laid out for you, next to the set Michonne had refused to take. A sigh left your lips as you stripped the dirty material from your frame, tossing it carelessly to the floor as you stepped into the tub.

Water cascaded over you, a small moan sliding past your lips as you basked in the heat. However, the enjoyment was short-lived as soaped up your hands, scrubbing your body clean with swift movements. Once you had stepped out and dried yourself off you picked up the clothes from the counter. It was just fabric, but as you began dressing you couldn’t help but feel as if you were signing something away. 

Andrea was perched on the bed when you walked out of the bathroom, smiling slightly as she met your gaze. “The Governor invited us for breakfast at his place, I figured we could go, eat, and then head out.”

You glanced at Michonne who gave a slow nod of her head, but you allowed her to lead you out of the building. It was a short walk to the next site and before you knew it you were being ushered inside a large apartment. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” The man mused, holding a hand out to you.

You hesitantly took it, giving a firm shake. “I’m Y/N, nice to meet you Governor.”

He flashed you a small smile before motioning for you to take a seat, quickly introducing the other man as Milton. You kept quiet as you were severed breakfast, your mouth watering as you stared down at the eggs on your plate. 

“Survival in the wild is tough sledding. Wake up every morning on the ground wondering if today’s the day. Will it be quick and final or slow and, well, without end. Will someone have the good sense to kill my brain or will I come back as one of them?” You shifted uncomfortably at the Governor’s words. 

It was then that Milton spoke up, “do you think they remember anything? The person they once were?”

“We don’t think about it.” You added softly, grabbing a fork in order to start pulling food into your mouth.

“Milton believes there might be a trace of the person they were still trapped inside.”

“Like an echo,” Milton added. “Surly it must have crossed your mind.”

Andrea sighed, “one time, yeah, right before it tried to bite me.”

“And then you killed it?” He asked, attention set solely on her. “I said it only because no one here likes to refer to them as him or her. The two you had in chains, who were they?”

You stiffened at the question, shifting your gaze to Michonne. When she didn’t respond he continued. “The way you controlled them, used them to your benefit. You did know them, didn’t you?”

“I think that’s enough.” You piped up, forcing the male to meet your gaze.

“Let them eat.” The Governor finally spoke, spurring the man to apologize. 

You kept quiet as Andrea began questioning the systems they had in place; how they expected the town to hold and what they would do in a time of peril. You could see your friend buying into his words and while you desperately wished you could do the same you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. 

A knock at the door caused you to start, gaze snapping over as the Governor stood to pull it open. A whisper of a discussion flowed between him and the man outside the door before he turned back to you all.

“We want out weapons.” Michonne spoke, leaping from her seat. You followed in suit, pushing up from the table and crossing to stand beside her. 

“Well we can make this mean to go and your weapons will be waiting outside, but you should take time to relax. Get your strength back. Have a look around, who knows? You might like what you see.”

The group was silent as you stalked out of the building, your hands wringing nervously at your sides. “I don’t trust him.” Michonne spoke, pulling your attention towards her.

“Why not?” Andrea asked. “Have you ever trusted anybody?”

“Yeah.”

“Then give this a day or two, that’s all I’m asking.”

You let out a sigh. “It feels like they keep giving reasons as to why we can’t leave.”

Michonne nodded in agreement, though she frowned deeply when Andrea brought up her reaction to the walkers. A part of you agreed of course, you had both spilled your life story to Michonne, but she had said very little about her own. 

“Okay, that’s enough.” You butted in. “We’ll stay here another day, but after that if we don’t feel more comfortable, we’re leaving.”

The three of you split then, needing a moment a part before a fight broke out over Woodbury. You distracted yourself by walking the perimeter of the town, scouting the edges of the wall as you began making a mental map of the weak spots. In moments like these you did your best to channel your father, always asking yourself what he would do and it had gotten you by this far. 

Some of the guards looked at you hesitantly, though you ignored them and continued your walk. A murmur of chatter drew your attention to the front gate, a group gathering as the wall parted in order to allow a group of military vehicles to roll inside. 

You slid past the others, making your way to the front as you shifted your gaze between the vehicles, the Governor, and Merle who stood whispering to the side. The Governor mumbled something to Merle, who glanced over in your direction before nodding. 

Your breath hitched as Merle made his way over to you, jerking his head in a silent command for you to follow as he slipped between two buildings. Despite your brain screaming at you to stay put you twisted on your heels and made your way down the path he had disappeared on. 

A branch distorted your view slightly, bright pink flowers catching your eye before you reached up to push them out of the way. Merle was resting against the side of a brick building, examining the gauntlet that took the place of his hand, then twisting his gaze towards you. 

“You seen my brother?” He asked once you stood before him, head cocking slightly as he met your gaze.

“Not since the farm.” You said softly. “When the herd swarmed us he tried to get me to leave with him, but I ran to find my mom instead.”

“And why would he do that?” 

His question caused your brow to furrowed. “Because he didn’t want me to get mauled by walkers I guess. I probably should’ve got on now that I think about it.”

“You and him fuck?” 

Your head snapped back to him, eyes widening as you stared at him with an opened mouth. “What? W-why would you ask that?”

“Tryin’ to make sense of my baby brother riskin’ himself to save ya.” He chuckled bitterly. “He always did try to do the right thing.”

“We didn’t sleep together.” You growled, rolling your eyes at the man. 

“He not your type?” He pushed from the wall, stepping so close that you had to crane your neck to meet his gaze. “Or you lean towards men like ol’ Merle?”

Your cheeks warmed at his question, gaze dropping as you shook your head. When you didn’t respond he began to laugh. “Still bashful, ain’t ya? Don’t you worry, I won’t let nothin’ happen to ya.”

He shifted closer, your hands darting up to press against his chest, stopping him. “I don’t need you to look after me. I’ve done fine on my own.”

“We got somethin’ in common, Sugar. We got left behind by the same people and saved by another.”

“I wasn’t left behind.” You hissed, shoving him back. “My dad he- he wouldn’t stop looking for me.”

“What makes ya so sure?” 

The smug upturn of his lips caused you to sneer. “You haven’t stopped looking for Daryl.”

His eyes narrowed at your remark, smirk faltering; however, he was quick to compose himself. Before you got a chance to speak again his gaze flickered over your shoulder, causing you to glance back. Michonne was staring at you both with a blank expression, eyes darting between you and the man who stood closer than either of you were comfortable with. 

“Better run along, Darlin’.” He grumbled before turning on his heels and continuing down the alley. It wasn’t until he turned the corner that you made your way to Michonne, nodding softly when she asked if you were alright. 

When the sun began to set you, Michonne, and Andrea met within the room you had been given. You plopped down on the bed between them, letting out a sigh as you relaxed into the mattress.

“If we leave soon we’ll get a few hours on the road before dusk.” Michonne said, glancing between you both. 

“Where are we heading?” Andrea asked.

I’m thinking the coast.” Michonne sighed, “we have the water completely on one side, maybe we find a boat. Best thing we can do is find an island.”

“And if the coast isn’t safe?” You chimed in, glancing at the older woman. 

“Keep moving.”

“Let’s say the coast is, then what do we do? Just grow old, live off the sea by ourselves?”

“I’d rather take my chances out there than stay here.” 

Your thoughts pulled back to the odd interaction you had with Merle. I won’t let nothin’ happen to ya, he had said and despite your initial instinct to recoil at the thought you couldn’t ignore the warmth that pooled in your stomach.

“Because your gut tells you there’s something off about this place.” Andrea spoke, pulling you attention back. “About the governor?”

“It’s kept us alive this long.”

Andrea nodded, “that’s true.”

A heavy silence fell over the three of you as you shifted your gaze down to the maps. Without any further discussion you settled into the bed, closing your eyes as you allowed yourself to get comfortable. You didn’t know when the next time you’d be able to sleep in a real bed would be and you weren’t going to let it go to waste.

The following day you had accompanied Andrea out to a barbecue the residents of Woodbury were having. The eerie since of normalcy putting you off as the adults laughed and the children played. You stood off to the side, leaning against the wall of one of the buildings as you watched with a blank face.

“You’re new here, right?” A voice rang out, pulling your attention to a young man who had stopped not too far from you. “I’m Tim.”

You flashed him a polite smile, nodding slightly. “I’m Y/N.”

“Well it’s very nice to meet you, Y/N.” He mused, flashing you a broad smile as he shifted to lean against the wall next to you. “How are you liking it here so far?”

You cleared your throat, shifting your gaze back out to the other residents. “It’s weird. I-I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing that you’re able to live like this, but once you see what it’s like out there… It’s just odd.”

“No, I totally get it. I’ve been out on a few runs and seeing everything so empty and abandoned, it’s crazy.”

His words pulled your gaze back to him and you allowed yourself to take in his appearance. He was close to your age, you were sure of that, his features leading you to believe he was of Asian decent. He let out a soft laugh, lifting his beer in order to take a quick swig, “you’ll get used to it.”

“Don’t think I’ll be staying long enough for that.”

Tim opened his mouth to speak, but a low whistle caused him to pause. You glanced over to meet the gaze of Merle, who was staring at the younger male with narrowed eyes. “Shouldn’t you be on the wall?” 

“Y-yeah. Sorry, sir.” Tim rushed out. “Talk to you later, Y/N.”

Merle twisted his head as he watched the man leave, only turning back to you when he was out of sight. “He won’t do it for ya, Sugar.”

“What are you talking about?” You asked, brow raising as he moved to take Tim’s spot.

He let out a low chuckle, leaning forward as he spoke. “He’s a pussy, barely manages when we take him out. Ya need someone who’ll take real good care of you in and out of the bedroom.”

A scoff slid past your lips, “and you think that man’s you?”

“Oh, I know it is.” He closed the space between you both, teeth sinking into his lower lip as he pressed a hand to the wall behind you. “Whaddya say you and I get outta here?”

“I say you’re insane. I barely know you, Dixon, and what I do know I’m not a huge fan of.” 

You dipped under his arm, not bothering to look back as you made your way back to Andrea. She handed you a glass and to your surprise it was cold to the touch, a grateful moan sliding past your lips as you titled your head and pressed it to your neck.

“I did the same.” She laughed softly, lacing a hand on your lower back in order to lead you to where the crowd was gathering.

After the Governor gave a speech you allowed yourself to enjoy the festivities, conversing with the other residents as you waited for the big event they had been gushing about since you had arrived. However, nobody seemed keen to tell you exactly what was coming and your stomach turned at the thought.

 

“I don’t understand, what happened?” You asked quickly, rounding on Michonne. She had pulled you away from the others and up to your shared room in a rush, mumbling about how it was time for you to leave. You slid the sheath of your machete through your belt-loop, glancing back at her. However, before she answered the door creaked open and Andrea slipped inside.

“We gotta talk.” She began.

“We gotta go!” Michonne countered, turning back to begin shoving things into her pack.

“The Governor told me what happened. Michonne, you can’t do things like this. You’re freaking people out, you’re freaking me out!” 

“The northeast wall is guarded by some girl. We can escape there after dark.”

Andrea groaned, “we are not prisoners here.”

“No one who comes here leaves.”

“What are you talking about? It’s safe! There’s food, there’s shelter, there’s people for God’s sake.”

“That’s what they show you, but you can’t leave unless they make you!”

You let out a groan, “stop it! Look, I get where you’re both coming from, I do, but we need to talk about this!”

“This place is not what they say it is.” Michonne said softly, glancing between you both. “I’ll show you.”

You shared a look with Andrea before you gave a slow nod, shoving your own items into your bag and allowing her to lead you from the building. You received looks from many of the residents, though none moved to stop you. That was until a now familiar voice called out to you.

“Hey, hey, hey girls! Where ya’ll off to in such a hurry? Huh?” Merle called out, pulling your attention to him. He pushed himself up off the bench, smirking widely as he made his way over to the three of you.

Michonne placed a hand on your shoulder in order to urge you forward. 

“Hey, come on, now. Come on. Hey, hey, hey.” He rushed forward, arms outstretched as he began walking backwards in time with you. “Ya’ll are breaking my heart runnin’ away like that.”

“We’re leaving.” Michonne grumbled.

“It’s almost curfew. I’d have to arrange an escort. I mean, the party’s still going on.” His face contorted, brow furrowing before he began turning away. “Alright, wait here a sec.”

His words were murmured as he spoke to one of the guardsmen and you shared a look with Andrea before stepping forward. 

“I thought we were free to come and go whenever we liked.” You spoke up, pulling Merle’s gaze towards you. 

“Sweetheart, nothin’ personal here, but you’re gonna have to step back.” His hand waved at you slightly and you met his eyes with a glare.

“Or what?” You countered, shifting forward, though Andrea grasped your arm. She pulled you back to Michonne who scoffed softly. 

“See?” She growled, glancing back at the man. “There’s always a reason why we can’t leave yet.”

Before you were given a chance to respond a male shouted that it was clear, pulling your attention to Merle who was leaning against the wall. “Now if I was ya’ll, I’d find some shelter before nightfall.” He shoved up the latch carelessly before grasping the parting in the wall and tugged it open.

You nervously glanced back at Michonne who had narrowed her eyes. “They knew we were coming, this was all for show. 

“Do you hear yourself? Why would they do that and why would they bother?” Andrea grumbled.

“Ladies!” Merle called out, causing Andrea to glanced back.

“Close the gates.” 

Michonne was quick to speak up. “No.”

The two of them began debating quickly, your heart picking up as you glanced back at the open gate. “It’s already getting dark.” You rushed out, though Michonne ignored you, pushing between you both as she made her way past the door. A small groan left your lips as you turned towards her, tears welling in your eyes as Andrea called out to her. 

You rushed forward, only to collide into Merle’s back as he stepped forward to shut the gate. You slid under his arm, glancing between the crack as you watched her walk away. Andrea peaked from behind you, causing you to turn on her. “Why couldn’t you have just listened to her? She was just trying to look out for us,”

She mumbled your name, eyes widening slightly, but you shoved past her. She called out for you as you went, though you didn’t turn back. Instead you made your way back to the room that had been given to you, slinging your bag against the wall as you dropped down to the floor. A cry broke past your lips as you pulled your knees to your chest. 

Another person had been taken from you and this time it was their own choice. 

You couldn’t be sure how long you had sat there, working yourself through a fit of sobs, but by the time you had gathered yourself there was a knock at the door. With a groan you pushed from the ground, jerking the door open with enough force to cause a burst of wind to hit your face. 

Merle leaned on the door frame, meeting your gaze with a furrowed brow. “Main event’s fixin’ to start. Figured I’d bring ya down.”

A scoff slid past your lips. “Right, well I’m not too sure I wanna join in on family fun night.” 

“Come on, Darlin’, don’t you wanna see ol’ Merle put on a show?”

Your interest peaked at that, head cocking in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well I guess you’ll have to come down and see, won’t ya?”

Before you were given the chance to question him again he pushed from the frame, turning on his heels and heading back to the front door. You hadn’t played on going, in fact, you had stayed in your room for a long while after he had left. Though it seemed curiosity got the better of you and you made your way out to where the crowd was gathering. 

You had spotted Andrea on the crowded bleachers, but you didn’t bother making your way towards her. The music pounded against your ears and you fought the urge to rip the speakers outs; it seemed months in silence left you sensitive to loud noise. 

Suddenly the spotlights turned on, pulling your attention to the group of walkers that were chained to large slabs of cement. A gasp slid past your lips as you looked between them and the raging residents of Woodbury. 

Merle and the man you had recognized as Martinez rushed out, teasing the walkers as they lunged for them. The group began cheering for the aforementioned male as he began winding them up, dropping to the ground in order to preform a one-handed push-up using using gauntlet.

Confusion washed over you in waves as the two men faced off, bumping fists before a whistle rang out. Within seconds Merle has spun, his leg connecting with Martinez and sending him to the ground. You were frozen in shock as they continued to go against one another, all while avoiding the walkers that surrounded them. 

You wanted desperately to turn away, to gather your things and run after Michonne, however you couldn’t bring yourself to do so. Tim stepped back to released a chain, allowing the walkers to step closer to the fighting males. You lost yourself in the music as they continued to fight, head shaking in disbelief as Merle knocked him down or the final time, placing a foot on his chest as he raised his arms in victory. 

The whistle was blown again, signalling the end and Merle shoved away from the unconscious male, eyes dragging across the crowd until they landed on you. A wide smile pulled at his lips as he bowed towards you, causing you to roll your eyes as you turned on your heel, marching away from the makeshift gladiator ring. 

You had almost made it back to your building when a hand grasped your arm, whirling you around to face Merle. You had almost stumbled into him, but you were quick to steady your footing as you glared up at him. “What the hell was that?” You snapped.

“Oh, come on, Sugar. It’s just a bit of fun.” He drew out, leaning back to examine your face. 

“Fun? You could have been bit!” Your voice raised as you stepped towards him, shoving your palms against his chest. “You’re an idiot, Merle Dixon!” 

Again you went to walk away, but this time when he spun you back he proceeded to back you up against the cool brick, pinning you against it. “You worried about me, Sugar?” He asked lowly, dropping his face to hover above yours.

“No, I’m pissed at you.” You hissed, meeting his gaze. “You had me come down for what? To watch you risk your life? To see another person get taking down by walkers?”

“It ain’t real.” He whispered, head dropping in order to whisper in your ear. “We pull the biters teeth out, ain’t nothin’ to worry about.”

Your brow pulled together at his words. “That’s insane.” You mumbled, doing your best to ignore the way his breath fanning across your neck.

“It’s entertainin’.” He countered, his lips brushing against your ear as he spoke. 

Chills erupted over your skin, unwillingly leaning into him, though the shout of your name caused you to jerk away. You locked eyes with Andrea over his shoulder, heat flushing your face as he dropped his arms with a huff of annoyance. 

“Blondie!” He called out, turning to face her. “Enjoy the show?”

She glared at him as she marched forward, grasping your hand as she hissed at him. “No.” 

Whatever response he had was lost as she pulled you into the building, your head turning back for a brief moment to catch his gaze before she lead you towards your shared bedroom once again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During your time in Woodbury you find it difficult to grow accustom to your surrounding; however, you find a distraction in the presence of a mouthy man who can’t seem to stop pushing his way into your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a bit of a timeline change in this part. We’ll say the first time Merle goes looking for Michonne he doesn’t have any luck, that way Glenn & Maggie being taken will happen a bit later in the story.

Surprisingly enough the Governor allowed you to keep your machete. It wasn’t much compared to the guards who were given assault weapons, but it gave you comfort nonetheless. You had gotten up earlier than usual, the sun rising just beyond the trees as you stepped out into the empty street. 

The majority of the residents were still tucked up in their homes, however, you caught sight of a group loading up just in front of the gate. Your brow raised as you made your way towards the men, many of them ignoring you as they continued to gathering their supplies. 

Your heart leaped as Merle made his way towards one of the men, mumbling something you couldn’t catch to him before glancing over to catch your gaze. He slapped the man on the back before making his way over to you. “You’re up early, Sugar.”

“Are you going on a run?” You asked quickly, glancing back towards the vehicle. 

“Gotta few things to get.” He shrugged, gaze trained on you. 

“Can I come?” You blurted out, biting at your lower lip as you turned to meet his eye.

A chuckle rolled past his lips as he shook his head. “Ain’t nothing for you to do, Sweetheart.”

You had known better than to believe you’d be allowed to tag along, though there was a part of you that hoped you’d get lucky. Disappointment must have been clear on your face because he let out a long sigh. “It’s nothin’ you’d wanna be apart of anyway.”

“Alright, be safe I guess.” You mumbled, dropping your gaze to your feet. 

“Don’t you worry, Dollface, I’ll come back in one piece. Always do.” 

You glanced down at his gauntlet, brow razing. “Not always.”

A laugh was his response, lifting the metal up to hold it between you, though before he could respond one of the men called out to him. You turned on your heels then, making your way deeper into the town.

Andrea had somehow managed to convince the Governor to allow her to man the wall, and he had offered to let you do the same, however you were quick to turn him down. Instead you decided to help with stocking supplies. Robbie, the man who ran food distribution, had been ecstatic when you offered your services, quickly setting you to work separating the cans and jars. 

It had already started to get dark by the time you got to the last container. You let out a groan, twisting your back as you stretched your arms out in front of you. The hum of a motor pulled your attention, though you didn’t bother glancing out the window in order to see who had pulled into the town. Instead you continued separating the cans, rocking onto your toes in order to place one on the top shelf. 

A low whistle caused you to start, whirling around to face Merle Dixon. You let out a breath of relief, rocking back on your heels as you stared at him. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry, Sugar.” He mumbled, shifting his weight to lean against the wall. “Just enjoying the view.”

You scoff, turning back to the shelf in order to place the cans down. “I’m sure you say that to everyone.”

“Hmm, only to the ones that look like you.” He chuckled lowly, “and believe it or not, Sugar, ain’t nobody lookin’ like you ‘round here.” 

Then there was a touch on your shoulder, knuckles dragging along the skin that peaked out from your sweater as a broad chest pressed against you. A shaky breath slid past your lips, head involuntarily tilting to grant him more access as your eyes fluttered closed. 

“What are you doing?” You whispered, doing your best to keep your voice strong. 

“Thought I’d continued what your friend Blondie interrupted last night.” He mumbled, hand dragging across your neck before trailing down your spine. Suddenly he was gripping your waist, jerking you around to face him as he pressed you up against the shelf. “What’s a matter, Dollface? Ya want me to stop?”

Your eyes fluttered in surprise, tongue darting out to wet your lips as you glanced up at him from under your lashes. “I-I don’t know.” 

His face was mere inches from your own, nose brushing against yours as he dug his fingers into your hip. “How ‘bout you tell me when ya figure it out.” Just as quick as he had been there he was gone, turning on his heels as he marched out of the room.

Your face contorted in confusion as you watched him leave, a heavy breath sliding past your lips. Doing your best to push back thoughts of Merle, you hurried to place the rest of the supplies in their place. Once you had finished you darted from the room, ignoring the smiles of others as you rushed into your building. 

The moment you had made it into your room you plopped down on the back, hand lifting to rub at the back of your neck as the unsuspectingly soft touches of Merle blooded into your mind. For a moment you had believed you imagined it, that perhaps you had lost yourself in thought and it was nothing more than a strange daydream, though you knew better. Merle had always been vulgar and sexual, you had remembered that from your time spent in the quarry, but you had never thought of him as an intimate being. 

It was wrong to have played into it, you knew that. Merle was over half your age, he was aggressive and vulgar and you weren’t suppose to allow someone like that into your life. Yet each moment you spent alone with him you found yourself more and more submissive. You craved that touch; the need stirring deep within you as you with each word that slipped past his lips. The brush of his fingers had lit a fire within you and you couldn’t fight the urge of wanting more.

You jumped when the door swung open, Andrea waltzed inside with a large smile. Your heart leaped as you pushed from the bed, sliding past her to grasped the handle of the door.

“Hey, where you going?” She asked, reaching out to grab your arm. “If you’re still mad at me-”

You were quick to cut her off. “No, it’s not that, there’s something I gotta do.” 

Before she was given the chance to respond you rushed out of the room, bounding down the stairs and shoving your way out into the street. You knew curfew was soon, but you rushed towards the men at the wall nonetheless.

“Hey.” You shouted, pulling the attention of Martinez. “Where’s Dixon?” 

He thought for a moment, gaze darting up and down before he leaned down within earshot. “He isn’t on watch tonight, probably in his room.” 

“Where’s that?” You asked, rocking back on your heels as you stared up at him. 

“That building over there.” He pointed behind you, “top floor, third door in.” 

You rushed out a thank you before twisting around, rushing towards the building he had pointed out. You drew the attention of a few residents in the lobby area, though you ignored them as you darted up the stairs. You were panting by the time you reached the top of the stairs, though it didn’t stop you from rushing towards the third door and knocking harshly. 

There was a shuffle behind the wood and you didn’t bother stepping back as the knob twisted and pulled open. Merle was frowning deeply, however, when his gaze dropped to meet yours a smirk pulled at his lips. 

“Hey, Sugar.” His accent pushed heavily into his words. “Didn’t expect to see ya again.” 

Adrenaline coursed through you veins as you shoved into the room, knocking into him as he let out a deep chuckle. You twisted violently as he pushed the door closed, mouth parting with a smug comment as he turned to you once again. Before he was able to speak you jumped towards him, arms lacing around his neck as you pulled him down to meet you. 

The moment your lips touched he froze, arms stretched out from your frame, though he was quick to react once moved your mouth against his. His gauntlet pressed into the small of your back as he pulled you closer, his only hand pressing against your neck as his mouth parted against yours. 

A moan slid past your lips as his tongue slid into your mouth, rolling against yours in order to spur you on. Your response was immediate, tongue pushing with his as you arched against him. It wasn’t until your lungs began to burn that you pulled back.

“Ya made your decision, Darlin?” He asked smugly, hand squeezing at the base of your neck.

“I-I don’t think I can do anything.” You rushed out, allowing your arms to drop to your sides as you stepped back from him. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I can.” 

“I can change your mind.” He mumbled, dropping his head to begin placing open mouthed kisses to your neck. 

“Merle, I don’t wanna fuck.” You rushed out, eyes squeezing shut as you fought the urge give in. 

“You don’t wanna fuck, huh?” He mumbled against your skin. “What- you want something slow? Wanna make love?”

The way he spoke caused your breath to hitch, “I-I don’t-”

“Ion do that shit, Dollface.” He growled, fingertips biting into your skin as he pulled you closer. “But ya might be able to convince me.” 

You pulled back eyes locking as you stared up at him, inhaling deeply before you rocked forward again. He met you halfway, pressing his lips against yours. You tilted your head to deepen the kiss, his hand lifting to cup your face as he began walking you back, only stopping when the back of your knees hit his mattress. 

Your movements slowed, tongue slipping past your lips in order to run along the seam of his. He granted you access instantly, lazily rolling his tongue against your as he pressed a hand to the small of your back, lowering you onto the bed. Without breaking the kiss he settled between your legs, freeing his hand from under you as he lifted it to wrap around your neck.

His hips rolled against you, hardening length pressing against your thigh as he tightened his grip ever so slightly. He broke the kiss in order to drop to your neck, chills erupting over your skin as he drug his tongue over your neck, blowing softly at the skin before nipping at it with his teeth. A moan slid past your lips, back arching from the bed.

“Keep makin’ those sounds and ya can consider me convinced.” He growled, biting at your skin once more before sucking at the blooming mark. 

He pulled back suddenly, causing you a whimper to slide past your lips. A low chuckle vibrated in his chest as he rocked back onto his knees, hand pulling at your shirt in order to slide the gauntlet under it, however before he could tug it off you sat up.

“Wait-” You began, only to be cut off.

“Don’t you tease me, girly.” His jaw tensed slightly, though you were quick to shake your head.

“No, that’s not it.” You chest heaved as you reached out to grasp the metal attached to his arm. “Take this off.”

His face twisted in annoyance, lip curling as he began to shake his head. “Please,” you whispered, shifting forward press a kiss to the base of his neck. “I just wanna feel you.”

He let out a grunt of disapproval, though he released his grip on you in order to tug at the straps that held it to his arm. With a swift tug it came loose and he tossed it to the floor before latching his lips to yours again. When he slid himself under your shirt again you didn’t stop him, instead you allowed him to push the material up your body, stretching your arms up as he tugged it from your frame.

Again he made his way down your neck, licking and nipping at your skin as he reached back to grasp the clasp of your bra. With unsurprising technique he flicked the hooks free, the material loosening on your from you. As he began rolling the straps from your shoulders you reached out, taking the hem of his wife beater and pulling it over his head. Your bra was tossed to the floor along with your shirt, heat flushing throughout your body as he rocked back to stared down at you. 

“Dollface.” He drew out, a low laugh sliding past his lips as he shook his head. “You’ve been holdin’ out.”

“Stop.” You demanded, adverting you gaze over his shoulder. His laughter only grew, though before you could scold him again he dropped his head to your chest, taking a pert nipple into his mouth and rolling it with his tongue.

Your moan echoed throughout the room, fingertips digging into his back as he shifted to give your other breast the same treatment. His hand pushed between your frames, jerking at the button of your jeans before sliding in to cup your core.

“Shit girl, is this for me?” He asked, spreading your wetness with his fingers. He brushed against your sensitive bundle of nerves, pulling a moan from you in response. His mouth crushed against yours again, smothering your moans as he continued to work you with his fingers. Slowly he slid one past your folds, prodding at your entrance for a moment before pressing it into your core. “Get these damn things off.” 

You lifted your hips in response, pushing your both pieces of material down as you pulled your legs free. His hand lifted from you heat, grasping both sets and tossing them away. His mouth crushed against yours again, smothering your moans as he continued to work you with his fingers. Slowly he slid two past your folds, prodding at your entrance for a moment before pressing it into your core.

His fingers pulled within you, brushing against your deepest area as he worked you into oblivion. Your legs trembled as white-hot warmth shot through your body, taking you by surprise. “Atta girl.” He mumbled against your lips, only pulling his hand away when you had stopped shaking beneath him. 

He pulled at his own pants, flicking the button free before hastily kicking them to the floor. Once he was pressed bare against you he slid a hand behind your back as he pushed your further up the bed. You scooted alongside him, resting back against his pillows as he reached between you to grasp his shaft. 

Merle let out a groan as he pressed himself to your wetness, sliding it between your folds, chuckling when he brushed your clit, causing your to jerk. “Easy now.” He mumbled, dropping his head to nip at your neck as he positioned himself at your center. His fist clenched at the blanket as he slowly pushed into you, a moan sliding past your lips as he fully sheathed himself inside. 

He paused for a moment, giving you just enough time to adjust before he began rocking his hips. A whine slid past your lips, back arching in order to meet his slow thrusts. “Is this what ya wanted?” He growled in your ear. “Wanted me to make ya feel real good? Wanted me to fill you up?”

“Yes, please don’t stop.” You gasped, nails digging into his back as he found a rhythm for his thrusts. He began placing hot, open mouthed kisses to your neck and chest, arm wrapping around your waist as he pulled you down to meet his movements. 

Time seemed to slow as your stomach began to tighten, various pitched sounds falling from your lips as you felt your senses begin to build. As if he could sense how close you were he shoved a hand between you, palm pressing against your naval as he began rubbing swift circles to your clit.

Your walls clenched around him as you came. The white-hot warmth from before being overcome by immediate darkness as your body was wracked with pleasure. A groan slid past his lips, head dropping to rest in the crook of your neck as he began to jerk wildly above you. With a harsh push he spilled himself inside of you, working himself through his orgasm with shallow thrusts.

When he slowed to a stop he collapsed above you, panting heavily as came down from his high. It wasn’t until he caught his breath that he pulled out of you, flopping onto his back as he stared up at the ceiling. You bit as your lower lip, dread slowly pooling in the pit of your stomach as you awaited some type of response; insecurity weighing heavily when he didn’t offer one. 

With a grunt he pulled himself up, legs draping over the side of the bed at he stretched his back. You watched with wide eyes as he bent down to grab your clothes, fisting them in one hand before turning back to you. However, when his gaze locked with your he paused. He stared at you for a long while, brow furrowing as he forced through what seemed to be an internal debate. 

Then he tossed your clothes back to the floor, reaching out to tug the comforter down before sliding under it. Wordlessly he reached over to flick the lamp off, your eyes fluttering as you willed them to adjust to the darkness. After a brief moment you shifted under the covers, rolling onto your side in order to hesitantly curl against him

“I ain’t a cuddler.” He mumbled, causing you to tense next to him, though when you went to pull away he grasped your forearm. “If ya kick me in the middle of the night I’m tossin’ your fine ass out.” 

You said nothing as you allowed yourself to relax into the mattress, a small sigh sliding past your lips. Exhaustion was pulling heavily at your mind and it wasn’t long before you had drifted into a deep sleep. 

A booming knock pulled your from your slumber; a groan sliding past your lips as you twisted to hide your face in your pillow. There was a weight against your middle, the arm tightening around you as another round of knocks echoed throughout the room. Your eyes slowly opened, brow pulling together as you pushed further against the frame behind you. A hard member pressed against your thigh, heat flooding to your cheeks as you remembered the previous night. 

“Fuck.” Merle growled, though he didn’t pull away from you as he raised his voice. “What?” 

“Governor wants to see you.” A voice replied from the hall, “said it’s urgent.” 

“Get the fuck away from my door.” Was his only response and when the footsteps retreated he allowed himself to flop onto his back. Wordlessly, he pushed himself from the bed and you felt his gaze on your for a moment before he began getting dressed. 

You took a deep breath before sitting up, holding the sheet to your chest. “Can you hand me my clothes, please?” 

“You shy all the sudden?” He asked smugly. When you didn’t respond he bent down to grab your clothes, tossing them to you before slipping into what you assumed was the bathroom.

By the time you had gotten dressed he emerged from the room, tightening the straps of his gauntlet. He said nothing as he grasped the handle of the door and jerked it open, however, before he was able to leave you called out to him. 

You didn’t have time to think your actions through as you closed the space between you both, rocking onto your toes in order to press your lips against him. He responded almost instantly, pushing his tongue past your lips in order to explore your mouth. He pressed a hand to your back, holding you against him, though it wasn’t until you let out a moan that he pulled away. 

“Ain’t got time for that now, Darlin’.” He chuckled, “didn’t realize you were so excited.”

“Shut up.” You mumbled, dropping your gaze as you slid past him. 

Merle spoke up from behind you. “Don’t you worry, Sugar, I’ll take care of ya again real soon.” 

Another flush ran through your body as you hurried down the stairs, ignoring the stares of the other residents as you hurried back to your own room. Andrea had already left by the time you had arrive and you couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved. The last thing you wanted to do in that moment was explain where you had disappeared to the night before. 

You slipped into the bathroom, staring at your unblinking reflection as you thought over your time with the eldest Dixon. With a slow exhale you lifted your hand to your neck, slowly running your fingers down your neck, though you paused when you caught sight of a deep, purple mark. A groan slid past your lips as you began to dread explaining it to your friend, but you pushed the thoughts aside and instead focused on taking a shower. 

☇ ☇ ☇ ☇  
With Merle

Merle was perched atop of one of the stack of boxes within the Governor’s solar, biting at his nails as he impatiently waited for the man to arrive. The annoyance he had felt from being awakened still lingered within him and the fact that the boss wasn’t even waiting for him did nothing to subdue it.

When the door finally opened he perked up, turning his attention to the other male who was fully focused on the paperwork in his hand. “How are things going with the search for Michonne?” 

“Caught her trail late last night, figured I’d head out again today.” He replied with a bored tone. 

The Governor hummed softly, tossing the papers on his desk as he turned his gaze towards his employee. “I was told you had an eventful night.”

“Where’d ya hear that?” He countered, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. 

“A few of our boys saw the newest resident of our town slipping into your room.” Was his nonchalant response. “I hope this won’t hinder your tasks.”

Merle’s brow furrowed slightly. “That ain’t gonna happen.” 

“Good, good. I’d hate to have to ruin your fun.” There was a hint of danger lurking within his gaze, though the other man didn’t falter beneath it.

A low laugh slid past Merle’s lips. “If I didn’t know no better I’d say you were threatenin’ me.”

“Oh, no.” The Governor mused, giving a firm shake of his head. “Just want to be sure we’re on the same page.”

“There’s nothin’ for ya to worry about, Governor.” Merle countered, tone shifting to match that of the other male’s. 

☇ ☇ ☇ ☇  
With the Reader

You had perched on a bench near the main gate, basking in the warm sun as you ignored the gazes of some of the guards. You hadn’t even been aware of a set of oncoming footsteps until they paused directly before you. A sigh slid past your lips as you blinked at the sun, shifting your gaze to Andrea.

“Hey, you didn’t come back last night, I got worried.” She said softly, smiling down at you. 

You returned the smile. “Oh, yeah I’m fine! Just got a bit distracted.”

“Distracted, huh?” She mused, eyes trailing over your features. “I take it that distraction did that to your neck.”

Heat flushed throughout you as you lifted a hand to wrap around your throat. “That’s nothing.” You rushed out, pushing up from the bench as you avoided her knowing gaze.

“Right, nothing.” She repeated, earning an eye roll from you. 

Your gaze pushed behind her, heartbeat picking up as your eyes locked on the man who had marked you. His eyes were trained on you as he muttered to the younger man before him. You bit at your lower lip in order to suppress a smile before glancing back at Andrea, who was staring at you with a furrowed brow. 

“Do you have guard duty today?” You asked suddenly.

“Yeah,” she began, glancing back at Merle incredulously. “I was actually heading to the wall now.”

“I’ll see you tonight, then?” You didn’t wait on her response as you slid past her, making your way towards the supply building in order to start your inventory. 

Robbie was more than happy to transfer the shift over to you, patting you one the back before he all but ran from the room. You laughed softly before grasping the clipboard from the counter, flipping through the pages before you began writing down the numbers next to the list of supplies. 

Then, much like to night before, there was a grip on your waist, a smile pulling at your lips as you leaned into the touch. “Thought you were going on a run.” You mumbled, tilting your head in order to catch his gaze.

“Brownie is gettin’ shit ready.” Merle mumbled, dropping his head to press an open mouthed kiss to your neck. “You comin’ to my room tonight?”

“If you want me to.” You whispered, twisting in his grasp in order to press your lips to his in a chaste kiss, though he wasn’t having that as he smothered your mouth with his own. A small whine slid past your lips as he pulled away.

“Look at you,” he chuckled. “Already hot ‘nd bothered just from this shit.” 

He pulled from you then, turning on his heels and making his way back into the street without another word. You let out a groan of annoyance, turning back to continue marking down the inventory.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the events of Woodbury continue to play out you grow closer to the eldest Dixon brother; however, things are put to the test when you discover the truth about the all too perfect town. Your decisions begin being made for you and you’re caught in a whirlwind of heartache as you’re reunited with your past group.

After getting news that Merle had returned you had tried to reached out to him, but it seemed it was no use. You had gone to his room, only nobody was inside. You had searched for him throughout Woodbury, though it seemed he had vanished. You had given up eventually, deciding to spend time with Andrea, only she hadn’t returned to your shared room. 

The following day was miserably boring. You had completed your duties within the supply room, explored more of the town, and eventually settled onto a bench to watch the other residents absentmindedly. It wasn’t until an all too familiar figure strutted along the street across from you that you had hurried to your feet.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you since you got back.” You said softly, stepping into Merle’s path. 

He glanced in your direction, giving you a once over before he continued walking. Your brow furrowed as you twisted to follow alongside him. He ignored you completely, focusing on the road ahead of him. It wasn’t until you had reached the wall that you stepped before him again. He refused to meet your gaze, instead staring over your head. It was uncharacteristic of him to have nothing to say and you felt yourself grow worried.

“Merle,” you began, reaching out to grasp his arm. “What happened?”

He pulled away from you then, not bothering to suppress a roll of his eyes. “Ain’t nothin’ for you to worry about, girly.” 

You wanted to relax at his words, though they lacked their usual sense of charisma. “That’s not true.” 

His eyes snapped to you. “Ya been missin’ me? Is that is?”

“Maybe.” You countered, head craning in order to meet his gaze. “I tried to find you after I heard you got back, but you weren’t in your room.”

“My apologies, Sugar.” A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “There were some things needin’ taken care of.” 

“You can make it up to me.” You said softly, reaching out to take his hand. He didn’t pull away this time. 

His fingers laced roughly with yours, squeezing almost to the point of discomfort as he jerked you into his chest. A gasp slid past your lips as you grasped his shirt with your free hand in attempt to steady yourself. You didn’t break your gaze as his face lowered towards yours and you allowed yourself to relax into him. 

“It won’t be like last time.” He all but whispered, nose brushing against yours as he spoke. “I’ll have my way with ya.” 

Your tongue darted out to wet your lips. “I think I’d like that.” 

“The Governor needs you.” A new voice broke out, pulling your attention towards Martinez who looked equally as uncomfortable as you felt. 

Merle glared at the younger male, jaw clenching as he gave a single nod in response. His partner wasted no time turning on his heels and rushing away from the intimate scene. You had barely been able to look back at Merle when he dropped his mouth to cover yours, pulling away before you were able to respond.

“I’ll come to ya in a few hours.” He said. Without giving you a chance to respond he tugged away and headed in the direction the other man had gone. 

You hadn’t been able to distract yourself for the majority of the day. Andrea had done her best to hold conversation before her shift on the wall, but you repeatedly zoned out. She had been able to know something was off, her suspicions were only confirmed when you asked if she would be returning to the room that night. 

“Why? You got a hot date?” She teased, though when your face flushed with embarrassment her eyes widened. “Who?” 

“I don’t wanna talk about that.” You laughed. “Are you coming back?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.” She said, bumping your shoulder with her own. “You can have it, I’ll shack up somewhere else.” 

You mumbled a quick thanks before rushing back towards your apartment building, wanting to ready yourself for the night. It wasn’t until you had fully showered and lost yourself in a book that there was a knock at your door. 

Doing your best to hold back a smile you pulled it open, only your eyes widened as you took him in. His nose was busted, the frown on his lips accentuating the wound, his knuckles were cracked and swollen, though there was a makeshift bandage wrapped around them. 

“What happened to you?” You demanded, grasping the front of his button-up and pulling him inside. Once you had shut the door you lifted your hands to cup his face. 

“Ain’t nothin’ for you to worry about.” He repeated his words from earlier. “Governor had some business he needed taken care of.”

“That’s bullshit!” You snapped. “Look at you! This isn’t just business.”

A scoff slid past his lips as he met your gaze. “It is ‘round here. Now why don’t you show ol’ Merle how much you missed him.” 

You opened your mouth to object, though the words died off as he pressed his lips against you. Your responded almost instantly, arms winding around his neck as your mouth parted to deepen the kiss. His hand instantly slid under your shirt, palming your breasts outside your bra as he turned your back towards the bed. 

With a quick pace he walked you back, mouth dropping to your neck as you fell back onto the mattress. A moan slid past your lips as he began working against you, licking and sucking at your throat. You arched against him to gain friction which earned a low chuckle from the man above you. 

“Don’t ya worry, Dollface, I gotcha.” 

The room was filled with pitched moans and the slapping of skin for the following hour, gasps of pleasure pulling from you both as he worked you into glorious bliss. It wasn’t until he had worked out his frustration that he had allowed himself to reach that state alongside you, rolling from your frame and sinking into the mattress. 

Your chest was heaving rapidly, lungs burning as you fought for air. He shifted to sit up, but your arm wound around his waist and you shifted to press your chest against his. “Stay with me.” You commanded softly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. 

“Not in my character, Sugar.” Was his response, though he did shift from your grasp. 

“Please?” You avoided his gaze as you spoke. “I don’t sleep when I’m alone and Andrea won’t be back until the morning.” 

You felt his gaze on you, the intensity making you shift. It was as if he were debating with himself internally, arm twitching slightly before he relaxed back onto the pillow. “Until dark.” He snapped, roughly pulling you against his side. 

Even when both Michonne and Andrea had been in the room it seemed that every creak would startle you, though that wasn’t the case when you laid with the man beside you. The slumber that had evaded you for the last eight months crept up quickly, pulling you into darkness as you curled against him.

When you had woken up the sun had gone down and Merle was nowhere to be seen. Disappointment rocked your frame as you pushed yourself up, though you were quick to notice the small blanket that had been tossed over your form. A smile tugged at your lips as you stood from the bed and began dressing yourself. 

A sudden need for fresh air consumed you and you were lost in your own thoughts as you wandered out into Woodbury; however, upon seeing Merle, Martinez, and the Governor march out of one of the buildings you believed to be abandoned you paused. Your time on the road had taught you to be caution and trust your instincts, they had kept you alive and you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The men had looked too concerned for you to ignore.

Once they had marched away you took your chance to dart forward, sticking to the shadows as Michonne had taught you all those months ago. A cry echoed from inside the building, spurring you on as you slipped between the metal frame that lead to a locked door. Your gripped tightened on your machete, a deep breath being pulled past your lips as you pulled freed the lock. With a swift pull you opened the door, only to pause instantly. 

“Y/N?” Maggie whispered, eyes widening as they met yours. 

You rushed inside, pulling the door shut behind you as you took in her bare frame. Slowly, your gaze shifted between her and Glenn, tears welling in your eyes as you dropped your weapon. You yanked your flannel off, helping the other female cover herself before you began shaking your head. 

“What the hell is going on?” You asked, stepping in to pull them both into a tight embrace. “Why are you here? Why are you hurt?”

“Merle found us when we were on a run.” Glenn groaned out, causing you to flinch away. His face was swollen from his wounds and you were sure they were litering his body as well. “How are you here?”

“Merle found us, he brought us in, I-I don’t understand why you’re locked in here.” You replied, brow furrowing as you stepped back.

“They wanted to know where our group was.” Maggie mumbled. “T-They-”

When her words died off you blanched, heart sinking as you dropped down to grab weapon, sliding it back into its sheath. “Alright.” You sighed, eyes closing for a brief moment. “Alright, I’m going to get you out of here. We need to-”

Your words were cut off as the door swung open, pulling your gaze back towards Merle. A curse slid past his lips as he met your eyes, pulling the door shut swiftly as he stepped inside. You hadn’t been able to speak before he grabbed your wrist, pulling you roughly against him. 

“What the hell do ya think you’re doin’ in here?” He snapped, grip tightening as he glanced back at your friends.

“This is why you were avoiding me?” Your voice raised slightly as you matched his tone. “What the fuck is going on, Merle?”

A groan slid past his lips as his gaze shifted towards the door. “Ya need to leave. Now.” 

“No! I’m not leaving them here! Look at what you did!” 

“I don’t have a damn choice ” He pulled your arm to his chest as he spoke, grip tightening as he shook you. 

“Stop it! Why are you doing this?” You whimpered, forcing him to meet your gaze. His jaw was set as he stared at you, eyes narrowing in frustration and a wave of realization crashed over you. 

With a grunt he bent at the waist, digging his shoulder into your middle as he hoisted you up. A shout tore past your lips as he pulled his gun free, pointing it at the others. Blood was pounding in your ears as he threatened them, sliding his foot into the gap of the door and kicking it open. You were dropped to the ground then, a groan sliding past your lips as you turned to watch him slide the lock back into place. 

The moment you had gotten back to your feet he grasped your arm, roughly pulling you alongside him. Your heels dug into the ground, though his grip was too tight. It wasn’t until you were in front of your building that he rounded on you.

“Do ya realize what would have happened if somebody else found ya?” He growled, pinning you against the side of the complex. 

“They’re my friends, Merle.” You countered, shoving against him. “I’m not going to let you hurt them!”

“Ya don’t got a choice- I don’t got a choice! You’re gonna getcha self killed!”

“That’s why you’re doing this then?” You snapped, rocking back to meet his gaze. “Because the Governor threatened me?”

“Shut up!” He pressed against you again, head snapping in both directions. “Get your ass inside!”

“No, not until I get them out! Did you see what he did to her?” Your voice broke as you stared up at him. “You can’t be okay with that.” 

“Ya can’t do shit about it now.” He sighed, running a hand over his face. “Now listen, Sugar, you’re gonna get upstairs and pretend ya didn’t see nothin’. Ya wanna help your friends? That’s how.”

You went to argue, however, a commotion pulled your attention back towards the previous building. Merle snapped his gaze back at you, pleading with his eyes, and if hadn’t been for the sheer desperation on his face you would have argued more. With a shaky exhale you nodded, sliding out from under him and into the building. 

The moment you were inside he took off in the other direction. You didn’t head back to your room, however, instead you kept your gaze trained on the darkened town. When nothing came from the previous commotion you let out a sigh, twisting on your heels in order to return to your room, then there was an explosion. 

Without hesitation you pushed your way outside, zagging through the other residents as you ran back to where your friends had been. The smoke burned your lungs, but you continued pushing forward, only pausing when the gunfire began. 

You had an advantage with both sides. The residents of Woodbury wouldn’t fire upon you, not intentionally at least, they believed you to be one of them. Maggie and Glenn knew you were there and if it happened to be your father who had come to rescue them you would be safe. A bullet whirled past your ear and you dropped to the ground, doing your best to see past the fog. 

“Glenn! Maggie!” You shouted, rushing forward to find cover. 

When you caught sight of one of the residents of Woodbury blindly firing a rifle you darted towards him, forcing his legs out from beneath him with a swift kick and ripping the weapon from his grasp. With a grunt you forcefully hit him over the head with the stock of the gun. 

Adrenaline had taken flight within you, wasting no time as you pushed deeper into the gunfire. You weren’t aiming to kill, you knew the innocence of many residents, but you had no issue wounding. Your boots slapped against the concrete as you rushed forward, keeping close to the buildings for cover. 

Then there was an arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you back as the other lifted to cover your mouth. You threw your head back with all your might, connecting with the persons nose as you ripped from their grip and turned your gun on them. 

“Dad?” You asked, eyes widening as you took him in. “You’re here?”

He laughed softly, shaking his head as he pulled his hand away from his bloodied nose, though another round of gunfire startled you into action. You grabbed your gun from the ground, allowing him to grasp your arm and drag you to safety. 

A breath of relief slid past your lips as you met the eyes of Glenn and Maggie, though your face fell when you saw Daryl. “Merle’s been looking everywhere for you.” You blurted, though your words were drowned out as your father began barking commands.

Within moments you were being rushed forward, bullets flying in every direction as Daryl began distracting them with his own shots. Once you had made it to the bus you helped push Glenn up, however when the unfamiliar man accompanying them was shot, he collapsed on top of you. Air was ripped from your lungs as his dead weight held you to the ground. Maggie was screaming desperately for your father and Glenn for her. 

You groaned as you began wiggling under the man, using the ground as leverage until you slid free. The moment you were on your feet your father hoisted you up onto the bus, shoving at your thighs before he followed you up. The drop to the ground was steep, but you rolled out at the bottom, keeping your feet from taking too much of the impact. You didn’t take a chance to breath as you took off running behind your father, only coming to a stop when you had gotten to the abandoned buses. You dropped into a crouch along with the others, breathing heavily as you scouted the path you had came down. When you father jumped back, cocking his pistol as an all too familiar figure slid from underneath a bus you gasp. 

“Michonne?” You asked, voice breaking as you fought back a sob. You darted forward, shoving the gun away from her before slinging your arms around her neck. She tightened her own around your waist, returning the almost desperate hug. “You came back?”

“Of course I did.” She said softly, flinching as you pulled back from her. 

You glanced back at the others, who stilled had their weapons aimed at her. “Put them down, we can trust her.”

“Y/N,” your father began, though you were quick to cut him off. 

“She saved my life. Multiple times. Put them down.” 

They reluctantly did as you asked before your father began interrogating her once again. Upon realizing that Daryl hadn’t made it out you spoke up. “We have to go back for him.” And Merle, you thought after. “We can’t just leave him there. The Governor will kill him.”

Within the hour you had gathered yourself, creeping back into the gates of the town as the remaining residents gathered within the makeshift arena. You waiting calmly for a signal, staring through the scope as you father prepped for the correct moment of action. As soon as he pulling the plug on one of the smoke bombs you shot, taking out one of the Governor’s men with ease. Chaos erupted before you as you worked to create a safe path for the Dixon brothers to flee down. You twisted on your heels then, running back the way you had come as gunfire continued to echo behind you. 

“They’re all at the arena! This way.” Merle rushed out, grasping your arm as he pulled in to the left.

“You aren’t going anywhere with us.” Your father snapped, glaring daggers at the hand that had latched onto you.

“Do you really wanna do this now?” He shouted in response, slipping between the buses and kicking violently at the wall. Once the metal bent open he shoved you forward, keeping the sharp edge back before following behind you. You jumped to attack the outside walkers immediately, pulling your machete free as you separated ones head from it’s shoulders. “We ain’t got time for this!”

Without hesitation you followed him down the abandoned sidewalk, slicing at the walking dead as soon as the stepped into your path. The sun had already begun to rise, making it easier to follow the path into the woods. No one said a word as the group sped past the trees, not until you had arrived at the highway. 

Glenn rushed forward the moment your father had called out to him, however both he and Michonne pulled their weapons the moment Merle came into view. You began shouting along with the others, demanding them to put down them down as you walked back into Merle’s chest, causing him to follow until he was pressed against a tree. 

“He helped up get outta there, drop it.” Daryl spoke, waving his hand at Glenn.

Your father scoffed, “yeah right after he beat the shit outta you!”

“Hey, we both took our licks!” Merle added, earning a sharp elbow from you. 

“Jackass!” His brother snapped. 

“Hey, shut up!” He countered, only to earn a shout from your father.

Again Glenn and Michonne pushed forward, causing another round of shouts. When Daryl demanded for his friend to get the gun out of his face, Merle began chuckling. “Man, look like you’ve gone native, brother.”

“No more than you hangin’ out with that psycho back there!” He growled, turning on his older brother. 

“Oh yeah, man. He is a charmer., I got to tell ya that. Been putting the wood to your girlfriend, Andrea big time, baby.” He moaned out, bending at the knees as he stared at Michonne.

“Shut up, Merle!” You hissed, digging your elbow into his side once again. “You’re making it worse!”

“What?” Glenn began. “Andrea’s in Woodbury?”

Daryl scoffed, “right next to the Governor.”

When Michonne shifted forward again your father jumped at him. “I told you to drop that! You know Andrea? Hey, do you know Andrea?”

“Yep, she does.” Merle mused. “She, Blondie, and Dollface here spent all winter cuddling up in the forest. Mm-mm-mm, yeah. My Nubian Queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jaws, kept them in chains. Kinda ironic now that I think about it.”

“Shut up!” You and Daryl shouted at once, rounding on the other male.

He chuckled in response, “hey, man, we snagged them outta the woods. Andrea and Y/N was close to dying.”

“There’s no way she’s with him.” Maggie added in disbelief. 

“Yeah, snug as two lil’ bugs. So whatcha gonna do now, Sheriff, huh? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards, man.” Your father growled at him, demanding he shut up once again. “Oh many look at this. Pathetic. All these guns and no bullets in them.”

“Merle, please stop.” You mumbled, forcing him to meet your gaze. “Stop.”

“Oh, come on, Sugar, ya know I’m right.”

Daryl shoved between the two of you. “Merle, shut up!”

“Shut up yourself! Bunch a pussies you roll-”

His words were cut short as your father brought the blunt of his pistol down on his head, sending him to the ground. You let out a groan as you stared down at him, brow furrowing as you fought the urge to drop down and check on him. Instead you followed the others back towards the highway, leaning against one of the vehicles as they began discussing a plan. 

“It won’t work.” You father sighed. “It’ll stir things up.”

Daryl shrugged, “it’s gotta. Look the Governor’s probably on his way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle.”

“I’m not having him in the prison.” Maggie spoke up.

Glenn was quick to add on. “He had a gun to our heads, do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol or Beth?”

“He ain’t a rapist.” Daryl blurted out, disgust clear on his face.

“Well, his buddy is.” Glenn countered, earning a look from both you and Maggie.

“They ain’t buddies no more. Not after last night.” 

A groan slid past your lips as you pushed into the group. “This is ridiculous! Merle only did what he did to keep me safe! The Governor threatened me. If he didn’t listen he would have taken it out on me.”

“You really believe that?” Glenn snapped. 

“I do!” You countered. “I don’t know what he would have done if I wasn’t there, maybe he’d have done it anyway, but that’s not the issue here. He didn’t want to do any of this! As soon as we told him Daryl was alive the last time we saw him he wanted to leave.” 

“There’s no way Merle’s gonna live there without putting everyone at each others throats.” Your father spoke up. 

“So you’re gonna cut Merle loose and bring the last samurai home with us?” Daryl snapped, shifting his gaze to Michonne.

The conversation took a turn as Maggie helped you defend her, claiming she wasn’t able to be out on her own in her state. 

“We don’t know who she is. But Merle, Merle’s blood.” 

Glenn shook head head, “no, Merle is your blood. My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison.”

“And you’re part of that family.” Your father added. “But he’s not. He’s not.”

A groan pulled your attention back towards the woods, your feet carrying you back up the path as Merle pushed himself up. Ignoring your fathers shouts you grasped his arm, helping to steady him as the others rushed towards you. 

“We’ll fend for ourselves.” Daryl breathed out, stepping closer to where you both stood. “No him, no me.”

“Daryl, you don’t have to do that.” Maggie said softly.

“It was always Merle and I before this. You’d do the same thing.” 

“If they go then I go.” You blurted out, pulling their attention back towards you. “It’s not right, sending him off.” 

Merle pulled from your grip then, rolling his eyes before setting his gaze on you. “Ya ain’t going nowhere with me, Sugar. You’re back with your daddy here, don’t gotta bother with ya no more.”

“Merle, that’s not how-” 

He cut you off. “Ya ain’t my problem anymore, girly. Why don’t ya run home?”

Anger flushed through you as you stared up at him, a scoff sliding past your lips. “You know what? You’re right, I’m not your problem anymore. But let me tell you something, Merle Dixon, if you leave like this, I swear to God the next time I see you I’ll shoot you myself.”

Before he was able to respond you turned on your heels, shoving past the others as you made your way back down to the highway. You only stopped once you were back at the car, sliding into the passenger seat and shutting with a slam. You kept quiet as Daryl continued debating with the others and you knew they hadn’t changed their minds when he opened the back and gathered his things. 

Eventually the others had climbed in after you, the cab completely silent as your father started up the vehicle and pulled back onto the road. A hollow pit formed in your chest as you forced yourself to face forward, ignoring the urge to glance back at the two men who retreated into the woods.


End file.
